A busy day in the desert

We’ve got a lot going on today, as everyone is gearing up towards the Coliseum game and Opening Day.

Throughout the late morning and early afternoon, we’ll be hosting conference calls with a number of the former Dodgers who played at the Coliseum. This will allow the media to ask questions leading up to the game and the audio from those calls will be available on dodgers.com, so keep an eye out for that.

Additionally, today and tomorrow we are hosting a dozen Spanish-speaking media members, many of whom live in Mexico. We are picking up the group at the border and bringing them to Spring Training so that they can load up on interviews, meet some of our key Spanish-speaking staff, broadcasters, coaches, and players, and take a look at the Glendale Spring Training site. It will keep many of us busy throughout the two days so if I don’t get the chance to post a lineup today, please forgive me.

Thank you for inviting me to take part in the Fantasy Baseball League for Inside the Dodgers. I’m thrilled that you all are connecting this way and that the site has become a way for you all to chat about your favorite team. However, I don’t think I’ll be able to take part in it for a number of reasons, with the main one being time! There’s simply too much going on before Opening Day to dedicate to a draft and the same holds true once the season starts. Plus, you wouldn’t want a team in your league that has all sorts of inside info, would you?

And finally, don’t forget to shoot your questions to Ned Colletti, as he’ll be answering a bunch more before Opening Day. I know that many of you like to debate the team’s moves and decisions and this is a chance to ask the man in charge of baseball operations. Just remember, he actually is going to read what you write so starting a question off with a cheap shot probably isn’t the best route to take. I think it’s pretty cool that he wants to answer questions from the fans — I don’t know a whole lot of GMs in any sport who will do that on a regular basis — and I’m sure that you all can come up with some things you’ve been wondering about the team.

Ned, how worried are you about Saito’s recent struggles this Spring, and what are the plans if these continue into the regular season? How concerned are you that this could be his age catching up with him?

Hi, Mr. Colletti. Thanks for taking the time to look through these. Quickly, I’m wondering if the opinion of the fans play into your decision making process. I understand that you have access to a wealth of resources and information that may not be available to the average Dodger fan and that you always try to act in the best interests of the team, but when a majority of knowledgeable Dodger fans come to a concensus about a particular situation, does that have any bearing on how you move forward?

I understand that young players need to to mature and all that, but when you have a talent like Clayton Kershaw how can you hold him back? Two questions: (1) Do you think he’ll make the team out of Spring Training (possibly as a reliever to keep his innings down until later in the saeson); and (2) If he dosen’t make the team, when do you anticipate calling him up?

I know that the Dodgers are bit by the injury bug right now but do you feel that we have competent in-house options to fill the holes (primarily at 2B and 3B) before our regulars are healthy? More specifically can Hu play 3B and Young play 2B in your opinion? Any other options?

P.S. I have always wanted to work in professional baseball on an administrative level, this game is a passion of mine. What type of experience would it take and who would I go about sending my resume to?

A notable trend in MLB front offices today is to have at least one full-time statistical analyst (typically a person with a math degree) on staff. The World Champion Red Sox hired Bill James* as a special assistant in 2003; they’ve given him two World Series rings since. The Padres, who seem to contend for ofter than their talent might indicate, employ Chris Long as “Senior Quantitative Analyst”. Do the Dodgers have or have plans for a statistical analyst on staff?

Thank you so much for talking to us fans. I have some different questions i think, not so much related to the roster..

What would you say do the dodgers organization use most technology wise?

What advancement have been made in technology do u find fascinating and useful. Like do guys take home video of their swings on their labtops to review or pitchers throwing against them the following day etc?

What type of new tools are used beyond non traditional baseball methods in the training room, practice facility or computers/video and management side?

How advanced are the dodgers, maybe versus other teams, in advanced stats and computer usage in evaluation or are the dodgers more of a traditional team that uses scouts primarily?

How far are we pushing the envelope on non traditional baseball stuff (or do we care to even?) and what are examples? I hear some teams employ advanced stats and computer guys to develop models and algorthims and things like that. Using super computers ans well as number crunchers and programmers/developers, not so much a “baseball” people within talent evaluation and management?

Question for Ned-
Manny Acta has recently come out and questioned the risk/reward of basestealing and has cut the Nationals sb attempts in half. Do the Dodgers have a minimum SB success rate to make sure you’re achieving a net gain on the basepaths?

Jason Repko, from a Saturday Gurnick article that reports that he has sore quads:

“My body is tight, and some people might call it overcautious, but after last year, I’d rather take a couple of days off. That’s a lot better than possibly getting injured,” said Repko. “Maybe it’s a mental thing I have to get over. I’ve passed the mental block on my hamstring. I don’t think about that.”

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Repko last played a week ago today. Because he has an option left and Young doesn’t (and they’ve been playing both Kemp and Ethier in CF some, probably just to see if they are credible for a few late innings here and there), the roster decision about Repko may be a fait accompli and management may be encouraging not to rush it.

The one thing I miss about games being played in Florida, is that I was able to make my morning go by much faster at work. From 10am to 1pm I was pretty much guaranteed an easy 3 hour breeze. Now I’ve got to wait until 1pm, or in tonight’s case 7pm.

ok so i have been reading this blog for along time and with the upcoming season imminent i thought i should make it a habit to post. The most common topic on the blog is pierre who i have mixed emotions about. He is fun to watch guys, i know it you know it, watching jp lay down a bunt in the first inning, before the sun has even gone down…i mean thats baseball as the games charter stars played it and it is ridiculously rare these days. so its hard for me to say put that guy on the bench cuz…will any fan want jp going into the game in anything but pinch runner??? i dont…and ethier is good…proven even…but his value is high and of the young dodgers making impacts over the last two years i see him as the one with the lowest ceiling so why not ship him out and get what we can for him while he still qualifies as a young budding star cuz i dont envision any allstar games from him and i think that locking him in the lf-7th spot in the order for the next 5 years cuz that is a spot we could up grade in the coming years so there is an argument to take what we can from pierre and see what other options present themselves over the next year or so

Seems to me we can get an immediate upgrade in LF for the next 4 years by starting Ethier and getting rid of Pierre. Speaking of a low ceilings, Pierre’s is non existant. He is in decline. There is no upside.

gsutton: shipping out an inexpensive asset to “get what you can for him” is not a strategic move. Identifying a true need and seeing if you can afford the price, assuming it’s a reasonable price, is a sounder strategy for improving a ballclub.

Also, starting Ethier, or simply not trading him, is note “locking him the lf-7th spot for the next five years.” Next offseason is the first time he is even eligible for arbitration, so he would not be a barrier to upgrading should an opportunity arise. The 4 years and $36.5M remaining on Juan Pierre’s contract is a big obstacle overcome.

Here’s a graph that illustrates the JP OBP issue. The bottom line is that JP once was above average in getting on base and for the last three seasons has consistently been slightly under league average. Giving 700+ PAs to a guy who gets on base below league average is a BAD PLAN if your goal is to score as many runs as possible.

“Saito had been slated to pitch in tonight’s game with the Royals, but instead, he was left back at PHX Muni with tightness in his right buttocks. Allegedly, he would have been able to pitch if this were a regular season game, but this is a precaution.”

I’m less worried about Pierre (at least for the moment) and more worried about Kent and Nomar being unable to perform. They don’t exactly have “young” bats, so their timetable to contribute will be pushed back even farther than their physical ability to get on the field. And I see it as a chronic problem. Dodgers will be playing the hide and seek game with the disabled list all year.

yea ethier isn’t expensive but this is los angeles, the dodgers play in the second largest market in the league…lol…we can spend and i agree that keeping him isnt locking him in but i like ethier and i would like to see him do well and i think that is a spot we will have to upgrade in as we move more towards being a perenial power and tho you will probably jump on me for not putting the teams best interests first…i must say id rather see andre catch on and entrnch himself in another…preferably american league….outfield rather than let him get comfortable here and then il have to feel bad when i root for the upgrade

Andre may never develop into an All-Star outfielder, although I’m not ready to concede that, but he certainly is currently one of the three most capable outfielders on our roster. I think if he is allowed to play every day, he is very likely to have a breakout year, meaning over 20HR with an average around .300 and probably 80 or so RBI’s depending on where he is placed in the order. Would that be respectable enough for a third year player? He’s proven capable against both lefty and righty pitchers, which is very desirable. I think that the next year or two is when he is likely to mature most as a major league player, and we would be very foolish to overlook his capabilities, trade him, or place him in a secondary role in the outfield where he is held back from that full development. While we don’t know what his upside may be, we certainly know what it has been with Pierre, and may we never be unfortunate enough to find his downside limits – I think we’re seeing enough of that this ST.

gsutton, welcome to the blog, its always good to get fresh insight and opinions…not to beat on a dead horse (pun intended) but the Dodgers do have a finite payroll (regardless of how big it is) and that money could be better utilized if we can find a suitor for JP. Next year we will potentially be losing DLowe, Loaiza and don’t know if Schmidt will ever come back. That would leave us with Penny (option year), Billingsley and Kuroda (still unproven) as our 2009 starters. Sure Kershaw will be around but he made need additional time in the minors to iron out his big league game, Kuo just can’t seem to stay healthy and nobody else has really shown big league promise. With the inflated rates of top shelf pitching these days, the Dodgers would be best suited to penny-pinch and make a run at a legitimate starter (which will cost big bucks). So while our payroll is bigger than most, we will still have some big holes to fill this offseason. I for one don’t want to see another Tomko/Hendrickson situation in ’09.

Ethier is just coming into his prime years. I don’t see us having to upgrade on a .280-.300 BA/15-25 HR/80-100 RBI left fielder. And Bear is correct, our pitching staff is going to go through some changes in the next couple of years and pitching wins championships. Having the money available if needed to upgrade the pitching is more desirable. Even if Ethier is consistant at .280/15/80 and above average defense, it would be hard to upgrade that for a reasonable cost if there was even anyone available.

Ethier may not have the ceiling Kemp has, but I fully expect him to become a solid “complimentary” outfielder who’ll annually bring 15-25 HRs and 75-90 RBI to the table per season in his prime. It’d be a rare event to field three all-star caliber OFers (not that I don’t think Andre can’t sneak in there at least once) and I can’t remember the D’s ever having that luxury. JP no matter how you slice it just doesn’t excite me in any way, though he does make my blood pressure go up.

The D’s could find themselves having to resign Lowe – the FA class at the end of the ’08 season is extremely thin. Sabathia will command too much money and too many years. I can see the Ds going after Sheets if he’s healthy though. I too hope we’ve seen the last of the Bombko/Lurch type 4th and 5th starters.

c harris and enchanted: that money may not be necisarry for pitching…names like mcdonald, elbert (tho acknowledging his possible injury issues), withrow (tho acknowledging his age), morris or any of the pitching prospects in the system make me pretty comfortable with the dodgers pitching legacy without mentioning the phenom wearing 96 this spring….i know its not wise to bank on young pitching (e.i. edwin jackson, greg miller) there is pitching to be had that gives alternative options to spending excessive amounts of money on a starter…why not just allow a new crop of young guns to come in with the secure bills kershaw and penny top three because i expect bills to break out this year

Kemp is our new Mondesi. Incredible ceiling and talent. So far, he looks to have a better work ethic than Raul. It would be hard to be worse. I liked Mondy alot and it was ashame he never realized his true potential. For him and us fans. If Kemp works hard he can be great. Ethier is a Dusty Baker type outfielder. Good basic instincts and talent. Very solid low maintenance ballplayer. A very key part to a championship team.

At the risk of getting the torch-carrying, pitchfork-wielding, blog villagers all in a frenzy, Diamond Leung of the Press-Enterprise posted this blog entry at 5:21 P.M.

“Juan Pierre was seen in the clubhouse staring into space looking glum. He declined comment when this reporter approached. The lineup was eventually posted and Pierre wasn’t in it. During batting practice, Joe Torre stood side-by-side with Pierre in left field, chatting for nearly 15 minutes. “He’s fine,” Torre said. “He wants to play.””

I agree sut – would prefer we have the home growns in there, but we’d be relying on Kersh to put in 32-33 starts in in his first full year, and Mac and some of the others may only have Sept under their belts. If Sheets is healthy I’d rather see them go after him than retain Lowe, who with Boras is going to command top dollar and probably 4 years – way too long for a 34 year old pitcher.

If for some reason this year tanks, and/or Hu/Abreu & LaRoche’s play makes them expendable, come the trade deadline I’d like to see Ned see what he can get for the likes of Nomore, Kent and possibly Lowe. We always seem to take on dead weight at the trade deadline – be nice to cut some loose for a change. Might as well stock the farm if you can.

I miss the early day spring training games too. It’s weird to see a Dodgers Spring Training game that starts this late in the day, outside of the Freeway Series. Dodger Baseball was the most welcome distraction early in my school day.

Definitely a small grievance, compared to the Florida town that loses their -Town name after 60 years, and will likely have to paint their town the colors of a team they’ve hated since they took up residence at Coogan’s Bluff.

I guess that’s a dead horse of a different color, though. I look forward to catching a ST game in Glendale sometime in the next few years.

I hope Kemp turns out to be at least as good as Mondesi. Seemed he could throw a runner out at the plate from the warning track. Plus, I think our current catcher is waaay more clutch than the catcher we had when Mondi was patroling RF at the Ravine.

I was not thrilled with the move from Vero as I am in the mid-west and have been to Dodgertown 12 times. It was a connection to the old Brooklyn days as well as a chance to connect with my team on the west coast that I cannot attend home games. I was however encouraged by the attendance at the Arizona games and all the Dodger fans present with their signs and gear. It is most likely the prudent move at this time and I wish them well. I like vacations in Arizona. It is hard and sad to see the ending of an era.

hey i like martin just as much as the next day…but im not ready to give you that mercury…i didnt watch the second half of the 98 season i was so hurt…but heres martin becoming worthy of those sentiments

It is a great tribute to this blog and you all that we all love our Dodgers through thick and thin and will be there no matter what. Also it is great to be able to share opinions, vent, opine and not be personally attacked or called names. I watch other blogs and do not participate because most of the time they regress into personal attacks and name calling. Rather childish. I enjoy this blog mostly because of all of you who I consider great fans and knowlegible about baseball. Thanks.

I meant Piazza’s defense, and also I remember many a time when the Dodgers were on the ropes and he couldn’t come up with that clutch hit for the win in the 9th. Of course, he had no problem knocking the Giants out of the playoffs, or getting us runs in the other 8 innings, I just remember being let down by him constantly when we needed a win in the 9th.

Russ might still need a few more years of seasoning before I could really debate Martin v. Piazza, but I think his D is way better than Piazza’s, and he has shown that he can put us in front in the 9th. Seemed like even repeated sessions with Scioscia didn’t help Piazza’s D, Martin just has it.

Yeah, I guess I probably am a little bitter, since I remember him saying that if he went in the HOF, he’d go in as a Met, shortly after joining the team. Wish I could find the quote. One of the greats in Dodger history. I think that at this point, though, I’d take Martin’s D, speed and clutch ability over Piazza’s at the same point in their careers.

Fogey: Yes i’m a huge french Dodger fan since 2002 when i saw my first baseball game between the Dodgers and the Giants at Dodger Staduim on FSN with my mom because she lives overhere (Las Vegas exaxtly)

I just joined mlb.com. Direct tv for ballgames in St louis area too expensive. Anyone else getting games on mlb.com. I have the mlb premium. do the games get clearer on 700k when the season starts? Anyone got an answer?

If Torre runs it somewhat the way he is now things will be looking up. I hope he doesn’t go back to Little’s Pierre starting every game. Maybe JP will get upset and who knows? Losing his 434 game streak will sure upset him. ETHIER HRs we’re ahead again 2-1

Most of these games whether Floria or Arizona all have the same patent. Dodgers get out to an early lead and then they give it away. Let’s hope we can hold the lead. Even though it don’t count, wins always feel good.

Dodgers ort to be in blue more often during the RS. Not to give up their white, which is the best looking uniform in the world. Especially with Dodgers writen across the shirt. But once in a while wear the blue.

jhall, I haven’t been in here since early afternoon, but I agree with your comment to my comment. Given Nomar and Kent, or lack there of, Ethier becomes even more vital. If Pierre starts, where is the power coming from? Jones and Kemp? A bit from Loney? Are you kidding me? Injuries to the two graybeards may have been the worst thing to happen to Pierre. His “speed” game is no longer a luxury; it’s become a burden in light of the power outage.

Ned really backed himself into a tough corner on this one. THe other GM’s will not give up much for JP, plus he will have to pay at least 1/2 the salary for a few years.. Over paid lst year for JP and will be over paying for a few more years..

“I know it’s ST, but we can’t hold a lead. We need to get into a winning streak but doesn’t look like it’s going to start tonight.”

No we don’t, these games mean absolutely nothing. We can go 0-5 in the next 5 games. Has nothing to do with what happens starting March 31st. That’s when if a lead like this evaporates with our real bullpen, then sure it’s a problem. It doesn’t mean anything if Trancoso blows a lead in a late spring training game.

Juan; Hey Ned, by the way, I want out. Trade me. Ned; I have been trying but no body wants your services at any cost. I will do whatever I can but you really need to face the reality that you are not very good and every other GM knows it. I will keep the phone lines open.

Kiroda looked ok. Beimel didn’t. Troncoso and Myers were tossing BP, like it says up top. Broxton got two Ks. It’s spring. I wouldn’t worry. I’ve seen them have great springs and bad seasons, great springs and great seasons, bad springs and great seasons, bad springs and bad seasons.

Ethier has done everything he possible can to wrest left field away from Juan Pierre. He’s batting .359/.481/.672 with just three strikeouts in 64 at-bats. We already know he’s a better hitter than Pierre, and he’s an above average defender in left. Now it’s just up to Joe Torre to make the right choice. We’re not really expecting it to happen.”

Torre walked out to left field and had a 14-minute conversation with Juan Pierre during batting practice, an obvious attempt to try to soothe Pierre’s feelings amid a hotly contested battle between Pierre, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp for two outfield spots. Pierre had seemed unusually sullen before the game, for which he wasn’t in the starting lineup for the second time in the past five games.

After Torre returned to the infield and signed a few autographs near the Royals dugout, he was asked if everything was OK with Pierre.

“It’s not fine,” Torre said. “He wants to be playing.”

Pierre is a veteran and is entering the second season of a five-year, $44 million contract. But he has no power, and his game is based almost entirely on reaching base and creating havoc on the basepaths, something he hasn’t been able to do because he is having an awful spring.

Both Ethier and Kemp are third-year big leaguers who are having strong springs, and each hits for power.

“(Pierre) doesn’t like not playing, and I am certainly sensitive to that,” Torre said. “But I’m trying to find out as much as I can. Just because he isn’t playing certainly doesn’t mean he isn’t going to play.”

Pierre Griping. Nomar hurt again. Kent Hurt again. Schmidt hurt. Ned take that 41 million (those guys above, almost the price of the rockies -54 million) and let others make talent choices. You stick to press work and contract negotation. Thank heavens someone made you not trade the kids.

STAN CONTE NEEDS TO GO!! As it has been pointed out before… he misdiagnoses and severely underestimates recovery times… but more importantly, it seems he can’t seem to get players to stay healthy!! What kind of conditioning program is he running???

It would make my hear sink to see Juan sad. Imagine how he would look. Like a little puppy dog that just got shouted at or like a little kid playing “rf” or like my little son with the puffy lip when it is nap time.

I don’t want to watch that. Come on Ned do everyone involved a favor. we all have feelings and I don’t want to be sad.

Oh and I’m done with Juan Pierre. Not just as a player but as a person. You are making 9 million dollars to play the sport you LOVE! I LOVE baseball, but I was not blessed with the speed you have. You used all the tools that were given to you and it got you a giant payday. You have NOTHING to complain about…ever. There are three guys on your team in your position who are BETTER than YOU! That makes you the fourth outfielder. Either nut up and accept the role given to you or take your ball to Ned’s office and get the heck out of OUR home. WE’RE a family, we may not like everybody in it, but we have to deal with them at times, like Max (where are you?) and you Pierre. I’m done dealing with you unless you change your crappy attitude. You make 9 million dollars a year, bite me.

I’ve been at highschool ball all day, and I couldn’t wait to see what everybody had to say about tonight’s game. I watched it via my cell phone and then I am planning on watching the archived mlb.com game.
jhall, As a person who lives in Gnat country, I am all for Pierre going to the Gnats. They are going to need all the help they can get. Even their own radio talk show hosts don’t have anything good to say about them.

As for the Dodgers, I am with you enchanted. This was a great line-up, and this should be the opening day line-up with Ethier batting 2nd. His plate discipline has been awesomwe lately, and like ericmonson said earlier, he has only struck out three times in 64 at-bats and has 13 walks. You would think Furcal and Ethier would be perfect to set the table for Loney/Kemp/Jones/Martin. Sorry for the long post, but it was an exciting day of baseball. Eventhough the Dodgers lost, it felt good having a good hitting day. Back to highschool ball tomorrow morning. I will catch up with all of you tomorrow night, hopefully after a win.

Can’t wait to watch the Big Blue Wreckin Crew this weekend, all weekend! Dodger/Angels in Anahiem on Thursday; Dodgers/Sox at the Collesium on Sat.; and Dodgers/Giants at the Stadium on Monday. Let’s get it started!

Outfielder has had a productive spring and now must wait to see what Torre decides for his outfield spots.

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Joe Torre calls it the toughest decision he has faced all spring. And he may not have it resolved until Monday morning, when he makes out his opening-day lineup.

“Then I’m going to have to write somebody’s name down,” he said.

At issue is who will start in the Dodgers’ outfield, specifically left field, alongside center fielder Andruw Jones and right fielder Matt Kemp.

Andre Ethier says he believes he has done all he can to make Torre’s pick a no-brainer, reaching base four times, hitting his National League-leading sixth home run of the spring and raising his batting average to .359 in the Dodgers’ 10-9 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Monday.

“It’s kind of funny,” Ethier said with a smile. “Everyone says ‘Let’s wait and see what happens in spring training.’ But at the same time, some people come back and say ‘Well, it’s only spring training.’

“I was told to come into spring training and show what I’ve got. And I did what I was asked. It’s management’s choice who they’re going to put out there.”

Ethier’s competition for the job, veteran Juan Pierre, is batting .188 with a .253 on-base percentage after reaching base only once in his last 12 at-bats. But Pierre has an established track record, having averaged more than 200 hits, 95 runs and 57 stolen bases over the last five seasons.

But Ethier, 25, has more power, a better arm and will drive in more runs, tools that would make him more valuable off the bench. And that fact, ironically, could wind up costing him the starting job.

“They bring different things to the table,” Torre said. “Obviously, Pierre is that guy who’s going to put the ball in play. He’s going to be a threat on the basepaths.”

Torre asked the players to be patient as he searches for a solution, but it hasn’t been easy. Monday, Pierre slumped, head down, in front of his locker long after the rest of the team had taken the field. Coaches Bob Schaefer and Larry Bowa went into the clubhouse to talk to Pierre while Torre had a 14-minute talk with Pierre in the outfield during batting practice, then kept him on the bench.

“It’s a tough part for the three of us to be in right now,” Ethier said.

If Ethier doesn’t start on opening day I will never forgive Torre. Its not a hard decision. It may be hard dealing with Pierre’s feelings, but isn’t that want Torre is supposed to be good at? His main strength?

On a serious note, as we approach the impending demise of the Juan Pierre era in Los Angeles, I’d like to breifly express a sense of vidication for all my fellow bloggers.

We, as bloggers, are often marginalized as wacky fanatics who have little more than a “nintendo” understanding of the game of baseball. “Baseball People” simply dismiss us because we’re not privy to the day to day of a baseball organization.

Juan Peirre, however, is living proof that some baseball people are inexplicably wedded to arcane principles of baseball productivity. Many of the people who frequent this blog, and many like it, have a prgressive understanding of what to look for in a productive baseball player. Unfortunately, some baseball people reject this sound reasoning because, IMO, they are too stubborn and proud to let go of their long-held views. Indeed, many “baseball people” resent us for that very reason.

In the end I hope Pierre serves as a lesson to our GM that even if stats don’t tell us everything, they certainly give us a whole lot.

If Ethier can’t win the job this spring, what is the point of spring training? And better yet, how can the coaching staff look any young player in the eye and tell him to get out there and hustle and you can earn your way into the lineup?

I have not posted in a while, but the regular season is nearly upon us. So, here are some thoughts:

1) Someone mentioned that Kershaw may pitch at the Coliseum. I think that couldn’t be more perfect. It will be like channelling Sandy Koufax. (Though, I still think Kershaw will, and probably should, start the season in Las Vegas–though I expect he’ll finish it in LA.)

2. Pierre. Boy, I hate to pile on, but there are a couple of things that need to be said here:

a) He’s an awful bunter. Someone mentioned that they love seeing him bunt. I can appreciate the sentiment, but he lays it down like a sacrifce. Watch Raffy drag one for a hit and you see the difference. Now, JP has great speed, and is sometimes able to run it out. But the fundamental is not good, and I worry that he’ll lose a whole lot if he loses a step.

b) Boy am I ticked off to hear that he’s complaining to Torre and pouting. The book on Pierre is that he’s a great clubhouse guy and hard worker. The word over the winter is that he would do whatever the team needed of him. Put aside the excessive contract price and you find he’s still a really good 4th outfielder (yes, he could start on some teams, but not the Dodgers). Speed, can play CF and left field, can run, can spot start. And is great in the clubhouse. But the last thing we need is a petulant player who does not like the fact that we’re giving playing time to a younger, better player. Jeff Kent can yell and complain all he wants because we never expected him to be a clubhouse guy and, when he’s healthy, he’s still one of the top second basemen in the league. Pierre looks to be repeating a bad nightmare from last season, and it really grinds me, because he’s supposed to be the “good guy.”

c) It’s sort of obvious to say that Ethier should be the third outfielder. I don’t know why we talked about 4 outfielders competing for three spots–it’s sort of beyond obvious that Kemp–the most prodigious talent in the NL West and, what the heck, my prediction for the National League MVP–and Jones would start). Yes, Ethier has had a better spring than Kemp (though, he’s done well to be sure), and he has more experience, but Kemp just oozes with talent.

But, I digress. My point is this–while Spring Training is NOT the reason that Ethier should be starting (the last two years is), it’s made it clear.

And Ethier’s spring reminds me of another young guy’s spring just a year ago. Imagine a left-handed hitter having earned his way onto the team through success in the minors and big leagues, comes into spring competing for a job, hits the cover off the ball, only to have the job handed over to a Proven Veteran Leader. And then we linger for two months before we bring him back, and he proceeds to–what?–that’s right, hit the cover off the ball–going .331 with 15 HR in just a little over a half a season. And we get to September and realize that–gee whiz–if we had just started him at the beginning of the year, we could be playing in October.

Admittedly, Ethier is not getting sent back to Las Vegas like James Loney did last year, but the similarities are ridiculous. Pretty much everyone in baseball knows that if we had Loney all season we would have at least made a run at the playoffs (likely we would have made them, as our tailspin just fed on itself at the end). We learned this the hard way last year, we can’t mess this up again.

3) Billingsley. I heard someone worry about him because of a bad start. Sure, he looked like Bad Chad, but even before we knew he was working onthe change, there’s no reason to worry. He’s the #3 starter . . . for now. He could easily be challenging Penny and Lowe for Ace by the playoffs (with no insult to those guys–after all, Drysdale was only the second best pitcher on the team when he played, but he was great).

Interestingly this: the heart of our team is likely to be Martin, Loney, Kemp, Ethier, Billingsley, and Broxton (yes, Saito, Penny, Lowe, Jones and Furcal too, but put them aside for a second). These are 6 very young guys, but all six are now going into their third year where they have been part of the major league club, and all have performed well in their first year, and even better their second year. How often do you have a really young nucleus of guys that are considered close to rookies and yet have already done well in the bigs in one year and improved the next? I am a little concerned because while I totally discount the early spring games, we have not turned it on since getting to Phoenix, where we start playing a lot more like the regular season. But the prospect of what we are brining is reason enough to be excited.

4) Kent/Nomar. I would really like them both to be healthy. If Nomar starts opening day but is not producing by mid-May, then it becomes time to start the transition to LaRoche. If LaRoche does not produce by the year’s end, then maybe Blake DeWitt will be ready. We have depth there.

With Kent, same thing with Abreu and then Chin-Lung Hu (Hu is shortstop, but maybe we re-sign Raffy at the end of the year).

BUT–we really only need one to be ready on opening day. Tony Abreu seems healthy and can fill in at either position for a week or two, by which time both Nomar and Kent should be back, right?

BUT–I think we need at least one of them. I’d be willing to go with LaRoche and Abreu, but that can’t happen. I like both Abreu and Hu, but neither are really expected to drive the ball the way Kent still clearly could last year and I expect can this year, and the way that hopefully Nomar will remember how to this year (or, again, LaRoche time). And DeWitt may prove to be the real thing, but it’s too soon.

Okay Eithier is the better all around player and can drive in runs, so it’s better not to play him all the time but to have him come off of the bench? Does that make sense to anyone other than the Dbacks,Rockies,Pads or Gnats?

Yes fliegel, addition by subtraction and reinsertion – its the new Ned math.

By taking out X and playing Y, when Y exponentially gives up 4 (outs) in AB and 2 (bases) on defense (D), if the pitcher (P) is fortunate enough to still be close to be = in the game in the last inning (9), then X becomes the coefficient of Y, though he might be inserted for P, or for Y for his D in inning 7. Though paradoxically, the equation Y4AB(bad)D < X is still the solution. To this you merely invert it because there’s no common denominator.

fliegel, I agree. If you are wondering which way to take, for instance to lift a starter and bring in a reliever, sit in the other dugout and ask yourself who you’d rather face. If I’m the Dodger’s competition, I’m rooting for Pierre to be given the position. Not only because they don’t have to face Ethier’s bat, etc, dead horse. But this move will divide the clubhouse and we all know it.

Enchanted that is funny! I had little league practice yesterday and we have our first game tonight so I was trying to figure out my line up (by the way we are the AA Dodgers!!) I have to imagine that Joe wants to win and if I can make the hard decision to sit my own son because he is not playing well enough right now, then I think Joe can sit Slappy McDribble and his crappy attitude and arm.
there I said my peace!!!

“Ethier and Kemp are talented, but you don’t know what the 600-at-bat result is,” Torre said. “You don’t have a history of what it will be.”

Would somebody please tell Mr. Torre that Andre Ethier has 946 CAREER PLATE APPEARANCES!! This “unproven” label on Ethier has got to go away! He is a bona-fide Major Leaguer and it’s time to let Ethier soar…

I don’t know what world Torre’s living in. Seems like he’s in ours one minute, the next he’s in Ned’s bizzaro world where good is bad and bad is good.

I don’t care if you have to DFA JP, just get him out of here. If he’s not starting he’s sulking and whining just like the other “character” guys last year. I agree with the above post, players are going to take sides and we’ll be the laughing stock of the west finishing closer to the gnats than the top.

The decision time is at hand, and the outcome will tell us whether we can really look with hope to the Torre regime, or whether it will continue to be the perverse logic of the Giant tainted overhang that will continue to mire us with less than the best available talent on the field. I don’t see that the decision for Torre is hard at all – the problem of dealing with Pierre no doubt will be.
Whether you just look at Ethier’s progressing two year major league record and Pierre’s somewhat declining one, or you take the Spring Training competition results seriously, any half-way knowledgeable fan could tell you who should be playing left field. Any other conclusion is a mockery to the fans and a disservice to Ethier, who couldn’t possibly do any more to win this job than he has done on the field. I don’t know what to do with Pierre, other than add a few insulting suggestions. Actually, if there’s a guy that I would like to see gone from the Dodgers more than Pierre, it is Ned. That should have been addressed when we finally “lost” Grady. I wouldn’t like to see Torre fall under the same spell of Ned’s “black cloud” mantra in this persistence that a big contract veteran is always deserving to be on the field, even when he can’t comport himself as a professional on the bench.

In a couple of days I’ll have my answer on Torre and probably a good indication of what we can expect from the team in the final results.

We all know what we’ll get from little Juan, but Eithier has an upside. He’s never been given the opportunity to be a consistent starter. Maybe if given that chance He becomes another Matt Holiday maybe not. We’ll never get to find out if Pierre is starting. Besides I see Pierre as the perfect late inning pinch runner, that’s what he’s good at, and that’s what the Dodgers should have him do.

Pierre has shown that he is a “good guy” only when things are going his way. When they are not, he is not a good influence in the clubhouse – he is a cancer that must be dealt with or we will have a repeat of the collapse of last year. Although Gonzo has gone, his replacement is here. If Ned is worth his salt as a GM, he will deal with it and remove the problem before it ruins another season. If he doesn’t, he should be removed himself.

Actually, before tiring with a sore shoulder two years ago, Ethier was the one carrying the Dodgers, playing everyday and hitting close to .350 for a while before his late season collapse – albeit his first real playing time in the pros.

Messagebear, you hit it on the head: Torre’s decision on who plays LF will either give us fans hope finally or make us wonder why Grady Little is wearing a Joe Torre disguise.

To me, the writings on the wall and it APPEARS that Torre is starting to introduce Pierre to the bench, but I’m afraid he’s going to try and get JP in there a few times a week to placate him.

I don’t care anymore if JP has an OBP of .400, my dislike for the guy has grown to immense proportions.

Why do Trigger’s feelings matter more than Andre’s? Only reason he’s even being considered is because of that idiotic contract. Why don’t we just go on a touchy-feely sabatical where we can get in touch with our personal inner child so we can all feel good about ourselves? Meanwhile everyone else in the division is ready to play some hard-nosed baseball.

Personally I hope that JP plays in the coliseum game and gets booed by 100,000+. Maybe then JoNedco will get the message.

I’m afraid of that too, scott. Ethier already went through last season esentially platooning with Gonzo – should we put up with the same thing happening with Pierre?

It really comes down to Ned as far as the ultimate resolution with Pierre. Do we want Pierre around for another 3-4 years and go through this kind of problem constantly. Pierre’s mood swings show that it isn’t going to be pleasant.

Just a question for all:

If Ned was relieved as the GM at the end of the season, what do you think is the likelihood that anybody would offer him another GM position. If the answer is “nobody”, and that’s what I think, does that not tell you everything we need to know about his capabilities and effectiveness in the GM role?

So far, it can be argued that Ned’s best moves have been when he makes “no moves”, and were those really HIS moves or McCourt’s wishes after listening to Logan White or other experts?

When Ned came here, it was all about veterans and suddenly he likes the youth movement? Seems fishy to me. Maybe whoever is forcing him to appreciate the kids can force him to rid us of Pierre as well.

Many years ago I worked an office with this new bookkeeper. Dang it, she was good lookin’ and quite pleasant. She talked a lot though which disrupted the natural flow of the office and she was actually a lousy bookkeeper.

A lot of the manufacturing personnel liked her, but those that had to deal with her daily grew tired of it after a week or two. We kept her around for a few months hoping she’d get better, but she never did.

In the end the owner had to call her into the office to let her go. She put up a big stink and tried to get others on her side, but in the end she was gone.

Even though she was just one employee doing an ordinary job poorly, the whole company suffered, and functioned much more smoothly after her firing.

Many years ago I worked an office with this new bookkeeper. Dang it, she was good lookin’ and quite pleasant. She talked a lot though which disrupted the natural flow of the office and she was actually a lousy bookkeeper.

A lot of the manufacturing personnel liked her, but those that had to deal with her daily grew tired of it after a week or two. We kept her around for a few months hoping she’d get better, but she never did.

In the end the owner had to call her into the office to let her go. She put up a big stink and tried to get others on her side, but in the end she was gone.

Even though she was just one employee doing an ordinary job poorly, the whole company suffered, and functioned much more smoothly after her firing.

Last night I flipped the switch on the league, so by tomorrow the league should be drafted. The stats of last night and tonight’s game should still count for whoever drafts red sox or A’s players, but I’m not sure how yahoo will do that.

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